Thalaikoothal shows the point of view of a man from his deathbed: Kathir

“I was asked to play the role of Pazhani, which is now being played by Samuthirakani sir,” says Kathir. But the character trait of young Mutu and the concept of recalling memories moved him. “Sometimes we may notice a smile on children or elderly people when they are sleeping. We may not know the reason behind their smile, but it always makes us wonder,” he says as he takes us through a personal incident that prompted him to take up the film. Kathir first read the script of Thalaikutal about three years ago. A few days after reading the script, he had gone to meet his great-grandmother, who was then on her deathbed. “She was unable to see or react when we spoke. But after a while, when I looked at her, she suddenly smiled. That smile and that moment created a spark.” Then the entire script played in his mind and he immediately called the director to tell him that he wanted to play Muthu no matter when the film was shot.

When we start talking about memories, the adventurer in him comes out. He says, “When we keep working, we don’t have time for other memories. Memories of routine life are different from travel moments. I like to backpack and travel alone. When I plan my acting schedule, I make sure I travel at least 30 days a year, no matter what happens. It’s not hard to find 30 days in a year. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

in Thalaikutal, while the main story takes place in the present, Kathir’s sequences take place several decades in the past. “It’s like a period movie. I also tried something new with my appearance. I like trying different looks,” says Kathir, adding, “Maybe I’ll try different looks and do more period films if I get the right stories in the future. Let’s see, ipo thaana aarambichirukom (we are just getting started).”